Morocco, Spain, and Portugal Day 2: Marrakech

We started the day with a guided tour of Marrakech. You know how much I love having a knowledgeable person walk me around and tell interesting stories, and Marrakech did not disappoint. With its rich history dating back to 1070, its beautiful rust-colored sandstone buildings, and ornamental orange trees lining many of the streets, the city already feels exotic. Overflowing market stalls filled with spices, leather goods, jewelry, and ceramics draw tourists from all over the world. The walled Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the huge square, experts in all kinds of psychology work to separate tourists from their money—charming cobras, donning traditional garb, and performing music to attract curious crowds.

In the huge square, experts in all kinds of psychology work to separate tourists from their money—charming cobras, donning traditional garb, and performing music to attract curious crowds.

I found the traditional tourist sites here to be very overcrowded. Tourism here has exploded over the past few years.

Although it’s wonderful to hear languages from all over the globe, I found the traditional tourist sites here to be extremely crowded. Morocco has become such a popular destination, and the number of visitors has clearly exploded over the past few years. In many ways that’s a good thing—travel broadens perspectives and helps people appreciate cultures beyond their own.

At the same time, when tourism becomes so overwhelming that it begins to change or dilute the very culture people came to experience, it can feel a little disappointing.

That being said, I absolutely loved the little experiences away from the main tourist sites. The smells drifting through the narrow streets, the market stalls stuffed with fascinating merchandise, the food, the culture, the vendors driving a hard bargain—those small, authentic moments are the ones I treasure most when I travel.

We had free time to shop in La Medina and eat lunch. Our tour director recommended a little restaurant off a side street that was delicious. 

Our tour director has a friend who runs a cooking school, and after lunch we visited, and learned the dozens of steps required to make really good Moroccan mint tea.

Our fabulous dinner was in the “Beverly Hills” section of Marrakesh. The attention to detail was astonishing.

This whole trip seems surreal. I can’t believe I’m actually in Morocco with amazing friends having these incredible experiences.